16 juillet 2018 | International, Terrestre

The Army’s next machine gun could fire caseless ammo — and one of these companies might build it

By:

The replacement for the Army's 5.56mm Squad Automatic Weapon could be an entirely new type of light machine gun that fires not only a different caliber round, but caseless ammunition.

That's because one of the five companies recently awarded contracts to produce a weapon prototype by this time next year has been building weapons to fire that type of ammo for the past 14 years.

A notice posted Thursday included the identities of the five companies:

  • AAI Corporation Textron Systems in Hunt Valley, Maryland.
  • FN America LLC.in Columbia, South Carolina.
  • General Dynamics-OTS Inc.
  • PCP Tactical, LLC. in Vero Beach, Florida.
  • Sig Sauer Inc. in Newington, New Hampshire.

The companies were awarded a contract to provide a prototype for the Army's Next Generation Squad Automatic Rifle, or NGSAR. The light machine gun is the first planned major overhaul of small arms in decades.

Based on the notice, it appears that FN America has been granted an award to provide two prototypes, while the other four companies will provide a single prototype.

Those prototypes will help the Army decide what's possible given their extensive requirements for the new weapon. There will then be an open competition following those submissions, where more companies can try to get in on the weapon that will utlimately replace the M249 SAW and influence the M4 replacement, as well.

It is also the first weapon of its type that could mean a dramatic shift in all small arms, with follow-on changes planned for an individual carbine that will likely incorporate the machine gun changes, officials have said.

Current efforts include work on a lighter machine gun that fires a government-designed 6.8mm round, which falls between the lighter 5.56mm and heavier 7.62mm used in heavy machine guns. But submissions can include other calibers, so long as they meet accuracy and lethality requirements for the new weapon, officials have said.

In the Textron release, the company says the prototype will be based on their cased-telescoped weapons and ammunition portfolio. The company has designed both a carbine and light machine gun variant, which have been displayed publicly in recent years.

The NGSAR will be an “intermediate caliber, high-velocity, magazine-fed system,” according to the release. It will weigh less than 12 pounds with ammunition that weighs 20 percent less than the traditional brass case ammo.

The weapon will be at most 35 inches long and be able to fire 60 rounds per minute for 15 minutes without a barrel change.

Accuracy matters too. A shooter must be able to hit standard targets at 50 meters while standing, with three- to five-round bursts at least 70 percent of the time.

The companies also received awards for advanced weapons and fire control technologies, for the Next Generation Squad Weapons Technologies, the umbrella program for advancing small arms, and for the fire control capability.

Wayne Prender, vice president of Applied Technologies & Advanced Programs at Textron Systems, told Army Times Thursday that he couldn't discuss details of their fire control submissions configuration. But he did talk about some of the capabilites they plan to provide.

“We're offering up a solution set, day/night system optics with a laser range finder, integrated ballistic computer for computation of the target,” Prender said.

Last year Textron unveiled a 6.5mm carbine using their ammunition. The NSGW program aims to use an intermediate caliber, likely in the 6mm range, such as their 6.8mm ammunition development.

But Prender said he couldn't discuss details of the caliber submission for the weapon prototype.

Army leaders have said that advancements will come in stages and initial fire controls will be a part of the first fielded system, but that improved fire controls with additional upgrades will be incorporated into the system.

https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2018/07/12/the-armys-next-machine-gun-could-fire-caseless-ammo-and-one-of-these-companies-might-build-it/

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  • Pentagon awards $734.8M to Boeing, Raytheon for support of Qatar's F-15s

    12 novembre 2020 | International, Aérospatial

    Pentagon awards $734.8M to Boeing, Raytheon for support of Qatar's F-15s

    By Christen McCurdy Nov. 10 (UPI) -- The Pentagon this week awarded two contracts totaling $734.8 million for infrastructure and equipment for the Qatar Emiri Air Force. The larger of the two deals, announced on Monday, is a $657.2 million contract for Qatar's F-15 program. Per this week's deal, Boeing will provide sparing and support for the F-15QA aircraft once they are delivered to Qatar, as well as logistical support and administrative costs. Boeing is contracted to deliver 36 F-15QA aircraft to Qatar, with the first arriving in 2021. The U.S. Air Force announced in October that it is working with the QEAF to prepare for the aircraft's arrival. A Tuesday press release from the contractor announced the deal along with two other recent contracts to support the QEAF: a previously unannounced $240 million, five-year contract for F-15QA program management, and a $68 million contract announced in April to provide maintenance and logistics support for the QEAF during their pre-delivery training for the F-15QA. "The tailored training and sustainment delivered by our team, coupled with Boeing's platform expertise, allows us to deliver a holistic solution to our Qatari customer so they can optimize the full capability of their fleet with high availability rates," said Tim Buerk, director of Middle East defense services for Boeing. "We look forward to our continued partnership with Qatar and further supporting their mission readiness needs," Buerk said. Under the second deal, valued at $77.6 million, Raytheon will upgrade the Qatar Air Operations Center. That includes the procurement and installation of hardware and software, as well as testing, end-user training and help desk support. The F-15QA, which performed its maiden flight in April, has been described as the most advanced variant of the F-15 and is based on the F-15SA, which is currently in production for Saudi Arabia. https://www.upi.com/Defense-News/2020/11/10/Pentagon-awards-7348M-to-Boeing-Raytheon-for-support-of-Qatars-F-15s/4551605034794

  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - April 1, 2019

    2 avril 2019 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité, Autre défense

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - April 1, 2019

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Raytheon Co., McKinney, Texas, was awarded a $7,383,058 firm-fixed-price contract for logistics maintenance capability, repair parts, replenishment material, configuration management, product assurance support, special engineering studies, system engineering, failure analysis, test and evaluation, equipment publications, obsolescence redesigns, test evaluation material for repairs, field service representative technical assistance, and contractor repair in support of the Tube-launched, Optically-tracked, Wireless-guided Improved Target Acquisition System. One bid was solicited with one bid received. Work will be performed in McKinney, Texas, with an estimated completion date of March 31, 2022. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $7,383,058 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W31P4Q-19-C-0069). *Small business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1802502/

  • US increases dominance of global arms exports

    16 mars 2021 | International, Terrestre

    US increases dominance of global arms exports

    America now accounts for 37 percent of global arms exports, almost double that of its closest competitor Russia, according to new information from SIPRI.

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